Indicators for Water, Energy and Food (WEF) Security

www.iisd.org ©2015 The International Institute for Sustainable Development

Presentation #2

Gabriel A. Huppé

What is an indicator?

• Helps ensure that important issues get managed

• Describes the perceived state of the issue (e.g. environment); is a proxy

• Provides guidance to policy makers related to specific outcomes

• Tracks progress made towards policy objectives (the desired state)

• Multi-stakeholder development process

The anatomy of an indicator

Units

Data legend

Title

Axis label

Trend

The S-M-A-R-T approach

• Chosen indicators and targets must be Specific-Measurable-Assignable-Realistic-Time-related:

• A Specific area for improvement is targeted

• There is a Measurable quantification of the indicator

• The responsibility for collecting data for each indicator is Assigned

• There is Realistic expectation that results can be achieved with available resources

• The Time-related commitments to achieve data collection are reasonable

3 step process translating sustainability impacts into WEF security

Sustainability Impacts

System Changes Security of WEF Supplies

Mining activities’

environmental, social and

economic by-products

Changes in environmental,

social and economic

systems

Water, energy and food

security impacts

Causality chain examples

Causality

Chain

Example:

Sustainability Impacts System Changes Security of WEF SuppliesMining activities’

environmental, social and economic by-

products

Changes in environmental, social and

economic systems

Water, energy and food security

impacts

1 Acid mine drainage Higher presence of toxins in water

Water may be unsafe for human

consumption if it exceeds limits

specified in applicable standards

2 Poor occupational health and safetyIncreased prevalence of occupational

diseases

Reduced ability to generate

income and afford or self-

produce goods

3 Emissions to air Decreased air quality and acid rain

Decline in agricultural

productivity and a deterioration

in terrestrial and aquatic

ecosystem can lead to decreased

availability of food and water

4 Employment Reduced unemployment rateAbility to afford goods is

improved

Sustainability Impact

Indicators

(at the company level)

GRI Mining and MetalsSector Reporting Trend(2008-2012)

Source: Global Reporting Initiative (2013)

7 Key Sustainability Indicator Frameworks

Principles Guidelines Standards

More interpretive

Less guidance

Little compliance

More prescriptive

More guidance

Stricter compliance

1. Centre for Science in Public

Participation (CSP2) Framework for

Responsible Mining

2. Azapagic’s (2002) Mining and

Sustainable Development Indicators

3. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

Guidelines and Mining and Metals

Sector Supplement

4. Prospectors and Developers

Association of Canada (PDAC)

e3Plus Framework*

5. Initiative for Responsible Mining

Assurance (IRMA) Standard for

Responsible Mining

6. Mining Association of Canada’s

(MAC) Towards Sustainable Mining

7. Mining Certification Evaluation

Project (MCEP)

Sustainability Indicators

Environmental Social Economic• Hazardous material use and spills

• Acid mine drainage

• Effluents to water• Water withdrawal

• Overburden, tailings and other

mine waste• Emissions to air

• Biodiversity disturbance• Energy production and use

• Mercury and cyanide use and

management

• Closure and rehabilitation• Land use change

• Land disturbance

• Noise and other nuisance

• Occupational health and safety

• Labour/ management relations (incl.

collective bargaining)

• Training and education• Child labour

• Forced labour

• Resettlement• Artisanal and small scale mining

• Indigenous land, culture and

human rights• Human rights training

• Community compensation,

development and impact

management• Community engagement

• Security issues

• Corruption and public policy

• Employment

• Salary and benefits• Government revenue

• Procurement and suppliers

• Local, gender and indigenous

participation• Infrastructure investment

• Ownership

System Changes +

WEF Security Indicators

(at the systems and WEF security levels)

WEF Security Indicators

• Only one integrated WEF indicator system

• State of indicator development on individual water, energy and food securities better developed

FAO’s (2014) Integrated WEF Indicators

Sustainable Water:

Access to water resources for different uses

Sustainable use and management of water resources

Resilient societies and ecosystems to water-related disasters

Sustainable Energy:

Access to modern energy services

Efficient use of energy

The energy produced and consumed is clean/renewable

Food Security:

Food Availability

Food Access

Food Utilization & Nutrition

Stability of Food Prices and Supply

Category Water-Energy Security IndicatorsAccess to modern

energy services

Water pumping and groundwater management: % annual freshwater withdrawals by sector; per capita renewable

water resources; groundwater abstraction/exploitable groundwater; groundwater quality; salinity of groundwater

Energy for clean drinking water: sources of drinking water (piped water, well water); water within 15 minutes; median

time to water; desalinated water produced annually

Water for power generation: cooling water required for conventional power plants; total hydropower capacity; ratio

hydropower/total energy supply

Irrigation systems: area equipped for power irrigation; % of area that is equipped for irrigation

Water pollution by fossil energy use: contaminant discharges in liquid effluents from energy systems; oil discharges

into coastal waters

Households: % households without electricity or commercial energy; % household income spent on fuel and electricity;

% population with access to electricity; energy use per capita

Efficient use of

energy

Energy efficient water technologies: productivity of irrigated agriculture; independence from imported water and

goods; % renewable water stored in large dams; consumption rate of water; utilization of total hydropower capacity;

ratio of hydropower to total energy supply; % people using different water pumping technology

Irrigation systems: area equipped for power irrigation; % area equipped for irrigation that is power irrigated; % energy

for transporting water for agriculture

Management of water by utilities: % water distribution losses by water utilities

Water productivity in agriculture: cubic meters of water used per unit of value added by sector

Household: household energy intensity

Clean/renewable

energy

Dams and hydropower: utilization of total hydropower capacity; ratio of hydropower to total energy supply; total dam

capacity (national); primary production of renewable energy

Bioenergy production: water withdrawn for processing feedstock and bioenergy; transport energy intensities;

bioethanol and biodiesel production

Fossil fuel pollutants: renewable energy share in national energy and electricity generation; % of increased access to

modern energy services due to bioenergy

Bioenergy competition with food and water use: pollutant loadings attributable to fertilizer and pesticide application

for bioenergy feedstock production

Energy for irrigation system: area equipped for irrigation drained; % total cultivated area drained; % total area

equipped for full control surface irrigation drained

Cross-cutting/ high-level: % renewable energy/ total energy; fossil fuel energy consumption

Source: FAO (2014)

Water Security Indicators: Multi-levels

Source: Parris et al. (2002)

Source: from Aurino (2014)

Dietary energy supply (kCal/day/ person)

Meteorological data

Agricultural inputs (fertilizer, veterinary drugs)

National Status Determinants Structural Conditions

Cereal yields (hg/ha)

Livestock production index

Category Theme Energy Security Indicators (IEA 2005)

Social

Accessibility - Households (or population) without electricity or commercial energy, or heavily dependent on non-commercial energy; Total number of households or population

Affordability - Household income spent on fuel and electricity; Household income (total and poorest 20% of population)

Disparities - Energy use per household for each income group (quintiles); Household income for each income group (quintiles); Corresponding fuel mix for each income group (quintiles)

Economic

Overall use - Energy use (total primary energy supply, total final consumption and electricity use); Total population

Production - Proven recoverable reserves; Total energy production; Total estimated resources; Total energy production

End use - Energy use in industrial sector and by manufacturing branch; Corresponding value added;Energy use in agricultural sector; Corresponding value added; Energy use in service/commercial sector; Corresponding value added; Energy use in households and by key end use; Number of households, floor area, persons per household, appliance ownership; Energy use in passenger travel and freight sectors and by mode; Passenger-km travel and tonne-km freight and by mode

Prices - Energy prices (with and without tax/subsidy)

Imports - Energy imports; Total primary energy supply

Strategic fuel stocks - Stocks of critical fuel (e.g., oil, gas, etc.); Critical fuel consumption

Environ-

mental

Climate change - GHG emissions from energy production and use; Population and GDP

Air quality - Concentrations of pollutants in air; Air pollutant emissions

Water quality - Contaminant discharges in liquid effluents

Soil quality - Affected soil area; Critical load

Forest - Forest area at two different times; Biomass utilization

Solid waste generation

and management

- Amount of solid waste; Energy produced; Amount of solid waste properly disposed of; Total amount of solid waste; Amount of radioactive waste (cumulative for a selected period of time);Energy produced; Amount of radioactive waste awaiting disposal; Total volume of radioactive waste

Security Water Sources Energy Sources Food Sources

Availability

Access

Supporting

Infrastructure

Supporting

Institutions and

Policies

Institutions (utility boards, user associations and resource co-ops,

education and training, safety oversight, law enforcement and security)

Policies & Plans (resource use, climate change adaptation,

disaster recovery, risk management, R&D and innovation)

Framework for Water, Energy and Food Security

Use

Processing

Storage

Distribution

Markets

Purchasing Power (livelihood income, remittances, credit)

Aid (direct provision, saftey nets, subsidies)

Self-production (water wells, off-grid power, individual/community gardens)

Barter

Built Infrastructure (transportation, communication, waste removal)

Natural Infrastructure (erosion control, storm protection, water purification,

biological control, air quality maintenance, pollination)

Table: IISD (2015)

WEF Security Tool Indicator Database

Source: IISD (2015).

WEF STATUS

Indicators

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACTS Indicators

RESPONSE Indicators

Our Approach

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